Commission debates snow-storage rules and whether snow-melt systems should substitute for on-site storage

A substantive part of the LDR review focused on snow-storage rules and whether a snow-melt system should substitute for required on-site snow storage. Staff noted the redline currently allows consideration of snow-melt systems as an alternative but commissioners questioned whether staff had vetted the environmental and operational studies cited by proponents.

One commissioner urged staff to read the hospital's study on snow-melt systems before broadly endorsing them: "Someone on the staff should have read this report from the hospital," the commissioner said, noting the hospital study concluded on-site melting could be environmentally preferable in that case. Staff said they had not reviewed the study and suggested the commission could forward a request for council-directed research if it wanted a full technical review. Commissioners also discussed whether a minimum on-site storage percent (2.5% or 5%) should remain if a snow-melt system is used; staff said the planning director was not supportive of requiring both a melt system and additional on-site storage, but the commission could send a separate recommendation to council on that point.